The One Week Writing Workshop book by Karin Adams launches soon on October 17, 2024. It’s an action-based handbook for aspiring novelists, covering essential novel writing concepts while taking writers through a series of novel-building activities.
In advance of the book’s release, we’ve shared copies with a group of NetGalley reviewers composed of librarians, educators, writers and readers. We would like to thank these NetGalley reviewers for their thoughtful and enthusiastic responses.
From the author:
I’d like to take a moment to thank my NetGalley reviewers for showing interest in my book, and to say how deeply appreciative I am for your feedback! So many of you not only read through the text, but took the time to do the workshop activities (which of course was my intention in writing the book!). Hearing about your writing experiences while you used the book – and in many cases how it inspired and fuelled your writing – is fantastic and means so much to me. (Plus – it made me curious about the sorts of projects you’re working on!).
-Karin Adams
With an average rating of 5 Stars being given to The One Week Writing Workshop by these advance readers, we’re very happy to see this early excitement for the book’s release. Congratulations, Karin!
You can see all of the Reviews of The One Week Writing Workshop on NetGalley or read a selection of them below. Click on any of the commentor’s names to read the full review they posted on NetGalley. You can also preorder your copy today in either eBook or paperback formats from your favorite local bookstore. Thank you for your support!
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“This book was absolutely fantastic!!! Particularly for writers like myself, who like to plan a little, but also discover our stories as we go…All in all, I would say this is the best writing book I have ever come across, and there have been quite a few. I had never been able to complete a writing workshop! Most of the writing books I have read are very plotter-oriented and leave me stuck in “endless planning, no actual writing” mode, but this is applied, and feels simple enough that I found it easy to start, and then the results kept me coming back for more. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC!”
Marz H, NetGalley Reviewer
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“Really clear guide to writing. Great exercises that are inspiring and realistic within the time frame. I’ll be using this for my own writing practice and as lessons plans for the year 7 students that I teach!”
Larissa D, NetGalley Reviewer
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“Engaging and accessible. A recommended purchase for nonfiction collections where writing craft titles are popular.”
Elle P, NetGalley Librarian
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“I’ve always dreamed of writing a novel, but every time I sat down to bring my ideas to life, I was met with that frustrating void of a blank page. I would read countless writing guides, take workshops, and meticulously plan out my characters and plot, yet when it came to writing, I often felt overwhelmed and lost. That’s when I stumbled upon “The One Week Writing Workshop” by Karin Adams, and let me tell you, it was exactly what I needed. From the moment I opened the book, I felt like I had a supportive mentor by my side…The format of the book kept me accountable, too…In summary, “The One Week Writing Workshop” is not just another writing book—it’s a game changer.”
Reviewer 1142556, NetGalley Reviewer
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“The seven-step method is practical and straightforward, offering real-world activities that you can apply immediately to your writing…It’s a great resource for overcoming writer’s block and making steady progress on your novel.”
Karin H, NetGalley Reviewer
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“I am so happy I had the chance to read and try this. As a person who writes, with a dream to one day get published, I felt this book helped me out of my funk. It was no pressure, and I felt myself relax during the 7 days. I will be ordering a physical copy, because this book needs to be next to my other writer-help-books. I loved the steps, the way she explained in a way that didn’t make me feel silly or doubt myself. This book is truly a booster for the creativity. Highly recommend! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy, this one truly made me write with joy.”
Elida P, NetGalley Reviewer
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“I have long wanted to be able to write, but I get distracted, I don’t know what I want to write about, etc. While some books on this topic can get very wordy and difficult to continue. The One Week Writing Workshop was just what I needed. One week is doable. The exercises were helpful and made me think.While I’m not a professional writer, I long to write. This book will help me do just that.”
Sue F, NetGalley Reviewer
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“As a writer and educator myself, facilitating writing exercises and workshops is a part of my job; hence I need them for my own writing, for my students’ writing. Even in the case that I was not professionally involved with writing/films, I would want to learn new exercises for journalling and as a form of therapy. I liked Adams’ approach and the overall one-week programme is one that is attainable and sensible…I highly recommend this book to students of creative writing, emerging and established writers, and those who wish to take up writing as a hobby.”
Reviewer 1394760, NetGalley Reviewer
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“Karin Adams leads you (gently but firmly) through a seven-day writing workshop, in which you can choose your own exercise regime out of the options she provides…Personally, I appreciated her flexible approach, being able to pick and choose my writing exercises. The best piece was her advice to not consider writing the talent or gift to aspire to but instead to appreciate the desire to write as a driving motivator for aspiring and accomplished novelists.”
Reviewer 1499710, NetGalley Reviewer
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“I had so much fun with this little workshop-in-a-book! I’m usually a faster reader/reviewer but I wanted to slow down my pace to engage fully with the book over the week-long period and ‘take it out for a spin’… I’m so glad I did because this was awesome!…The conversational, accessible writing style was a huge boon to this workbook. I’ve read a few fiction-writing guides over the years and this was one of the best for using plain language, not giving heaps of ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ and normalizing experimentation. I loved it for this. Writing should be for everyone!…If you’re searching for writing inspiration, want to play around with some ideas you’re holding, or simply want to give writing a chance, this book is packed with exercises, helpful tips, examples, and a tailorable approach to get you loving what you write and writing what you love!”
Bloss, NetGalley Reviewer
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“…these exercises are not the basic writing prompts that many writing craft books offer. Rather, they are vehicles which encourage writers to engage all their senses—to think outside the box and to really be in the here and now—and then translate those thoughts, observations, and feelings into words. Unique and inspiring. There is a lot to do in this book.”
Erica B, NetGalley Reviewer
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“As context for my review, I recently started outlining the plot of a novel. When I saw the ARC of The One Week Writing Workshop available on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to gain more knowledge of the writing process while I’m still in the planning stage…I did intend to do one chapter/step per day, however Day 1’s activities generated a random idea that really got me inspired and I ended up completing the first three days’ activities in one go! As the lessons build up, they really flesh out the new ideas and provide a lot of great writing practice…There’s advice on how to reuse the 7 step process as an ongoing resource after finishing the book, and I will definitely use this method again.”
Faye H, NetGalley Reviewer
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“This past summer I fulfilled a lifelong dream – attending the Iowa Summer Writer’s Conference – the pinnacle of writing programs in the United States, a place of the greats. I found Karin Adam’s The One Week Writing Workshop to be more helpful…Adams book makes a really daunting subject seem accessible. There is an acknowledgment that not all activities work for everyone / there are layers to how much effort each person might put into each activity, but every activity can serve as a building block…Adams is able to go over the basics in an uncomplicated fashion that seems achievable for anyone, no matter their level or experience.”
Elle M, NetGalley Reviewer
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“I’ve read other writing books like this one and I especially like the focus Karin Adams puts on rest and the fact that writing is an ongoing process. As she says in the book, “affirm that you’re a writer and aim to write every day.”
Kaila N, NetGalley Reviewer
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“It’s ideal for both new projects and ones that you want to bring back to life. Karin Adams’ method is the perfect partner for anybody who is prepared to transform their narrative ideas into a completed novel since it blends practical assignments with crucial writing instruction. Prepare to unleash your imagination and revolutionise the way you write!”
Fae k, NetGalley Reviewer
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“I love a good writing craft book. This is well organized and full of good advice and structure. A great way to jumpstart your WIP.!”
Chrissy W, NetGalley Reviewer
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“This was such a helpful book with amazing tools for an aspiring author. This book is insightful, easy to follow and great for new or experienced writers”
Amy P, NetGalley Reviewer
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“I have been wanting to write a book for a long time but I’m never quite sure where to start. This book gives good practical advice and exercises. It’s been a great help.”
Rachel R, NetGalley Educator